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Stratford City Development

This massive development project will bring almost 5,000 homes and 30,000 jobs to Stratford and has been given outline planning consent.

Newham Council’s Development Control and Licensing Committee approved proposals for the Stratford City development that will transform rundown rail lands into a major shopping and business location.

Stratford City will be one of the largest mixed use developments in the UK for many years. It is the brainchild of development partners Chelsfield plc, Stanhope plc and London and Continental Railways.

The plans include 465,000 square metres of offices, 4,850 new homes for approximately 11,000 people, 150,500 square metres of retail space and up to 2,000 hotel bedrooms. Also included is a drop-in health centre and primary care centre plus community facilities including an employment bureau and youth facilities.

There will be a four-form primary school, a secondary school for up to 900 pupils, a four classroom nursery and facilities for lifelong learning plus large amounts of public open space, games areas and water features.

A library, visitor information centre, crèches, day-care facilities, public service and security offices, civic offices and facilites for community groups and places of worship are also in the plan.

The application will now be referred to the Mayor of London, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Transport.

A legal agreement will also have to be drawn up between all parties to mitigate the impact of the development on the environment and transport network. Newham stands to receive a £150.4 million package of community benefits as part of the agreement.

The development site covers 73 hectares across rail lands, which have become redundant with the decline of industrial use of the railways.

A consultation exercise has been carried out among local planning authorities, statutory undertakers, transport bodies, major landowners and local communities.

Work is expected to begin in 2006 and take 20 years to complete. Should London’s bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games be successful, part of the site is identified for some of the Olympic Village, which will then be converted into permanent homes.

Newham’s Mayor Sir Robin Wales said: “This exciting development offers Newham nearly 5,000 homes, a significant amount of business space and thousands of new jobs. It will provide a significant kickstart to the regeneration of this part of the Thames Gateway and will assist us in supporting London’s bid to host the 2012 Games.”

In a joint statement, the Stratford City development partners said: “We are delighted that Newham Council is minded to approve planning permission to enable the revitalisation of the rail lands to start in 2006.

“We have had tremendous support for the project from the community and hope that all interested parties can work together for an early start for the development which will enlarge Stratford town centre and provide extensive new housing and community facilities as well as a range of employment opportunities.”

Stratford City, the largest single planning application ever received by a council within the M25, has been accepted by Newham Council from the development partners, Chelsfield, Stanhope and London & Continental Railways.

The application for outline planning permission details a proposed £3 billion development of a 73-hectare brownfield site in Stratford, serving to extend key London business and shopping into the East End.

Newham Council’s Mayor, Sir Robin Wales, said: “Newham Council has long been committed to regenerating the East End and Stratford City is one of many major regeneration projects proposed to transform Newham.

“London truly is moving east, in addition to Stratford City, this year the council will consider applications for the redevelopment of Canning Town and the Silvertown Quays development, which includes the proposed world-class London Aquarium.”

Stratford City is planned to include 4,500 homes for 11,000 residents, commercial office space of 465,000 square metres and a 150,000 square metre town centre comprising three department stores and 120 shops and cafes.

The development surrounds the Stratford Channel Tunnel Rail Link international station, which will open in 2007. It is proposed to begin construction of Stratford City in 2006, with the town centre completed by 2009 and the following development phases completed by 2020. This will create a new business district for London acting as a gateway to Europe only 2 hours from Paris.

The development will create local jobs for local people, including 15,000 construction jobs and up to 30,000 retail and office jobs.

Stratford City Masterplan and Development Proposals

The Stratford City development proposition will create a high density mixed-use urban centre comprising:

140,000 square metres of shopping, to include three department stores and some 120 shops, cafes and bars;

465,000 square meters of commercial office space

Commercial and retail employment could reach 33,000

4,500 new homes for about 11,000 people

2,000 hotel rooms with associated conferencing and leisure facilities

Two schools and a range of community and health facilities

Building heights will vary from four storey town houses at the periphery to a 50-storey hotel and residential tower next to the new International Station.

The housing strategy aims to achieve a balanced and mixed community across the site – the proposed 30% provision of affordable housing will include key worker, social rented and special needs housing.

The proposal includes 13 hectares of public open space, ranging from squares and public gardens to parks and ecological habitats. Also included are water features.

A new ticket hall expanding the Regional Station onto the north side of the Great Eastern Lines would be provided and integrated with a new bus station. Integration with the town centre will be achieved through a ‘living’ bridge passing over the Great Eastern Lines

Details of the Development Partners, the Site and the Planning Application

The Stratford Rail Lands site is owned by London & Continental Railways (LCR) and covers some 180 acres around the new Stratford International Station. LCR have been charged with the delivery of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL). The site lies adjacent to the Stratford Regional Station, on the north and opposite side of the Great Eastern Lines to the existing Stratford Town Centre. To the north of the Rail Lands lies the Lea Valley Regional Park.

Construction of the CTRL will make land available for development in 2006. The first phase of Stratford City could be completed for 2009, creating the expanded town centre and linking the Regional Station at Stratford with the new International Station. Construction of the remainder of the offices, housing, schools and hotels will follow.

Stratford lies at the inner city end of the Thames Gateway, just 10 minutes east of The City and 10 minutes north of Canary Wharf. It currently has the following public transport access: Central Line, Jubilee Line, Great Eastern Lines, North London Line, Docklands Light Railway and a major bus station.

Government studies have indicated that the areas immediately to the north and west of the Stratford Rail Lands could be suitable sites for the 2012 Olympics.

Chelsfield plc and Stanhope PLC are the chosen development partners for LCR. Chelsfield is known for its retail and its regeneration work at Paddington Basin. Stanhope is principally known for its commercial developments at Broadgate in The City and Stockley Park and Chiswick Park.

Stratford City will be a massive regeneration project, transforming the Rail Lands at Stratford into a major new piece of city and creating a new metropolitan centre in the heart of East London. Centred on the extraordinary transport connections the area will offer, including an international rail link, the development will attract homes, businesses and visitors, and will integrate large parts of East London that have long been divided. A wide variety of open space and environmentally conscious, visionary urban design, architecture and transport projects are all part of the scheme that will start to unfold if the London Borough of Newham’s planning committee’s decision is to allow plans for Stratford City to proceed.

Stratford City would bring employment and many benefits to the Stratford community and to the whole East London community.

The Stratford City development is being planned in coordination with the Olympics Bid for 2012, whose own planning application to Newham will be decided at a meeting just a day after Stratford City’s application is considered. So the 8th and 9th September 2004 will be important days for Newham.